As fall sports pick up, you might find your kids exercising more and reaching for a sports drink to cool down. While that sports drink might be hard at work tackling a deep down body thirst, it could be harming your kids' teeth.
A study done by the Academy of General Dentistry showed that sports drinks can cause lasting damage to tooth enamel, the hard, outer surface of your teeth. In fact, non cola and sports drinks could do three to eleven times more damage than soda. The same acid and sugar that give athletes a boost can also stain teeth and lead to tooth decay.
But for hard-working athletes, there's still hope. Dentists say that drinking juice with no added sweeteners, low-fat and non-fat milk and, of course, water is great for stopping thirst cold in its tracks. Dentists also say that if your kids have to have a sports drink, make sure to brush their teeth as soon as they finish that bottle. It will add life to your kids' teeth and keep them in the game for years to come.
